I have been unable to get 4 memory modules (16Gb in total) working on my Asus P8P67 Deluxe when using the Noctua NH-C14. Two modules yes, four no. But the four modules worked fine when I substituted the stock Intel cooler for the Noctua.

I am willing to reinstall (having reinstalled twice already) the Noctua once more to see if it is clumsy installation that was the problem, but assuming it isn't, I'd be grateful for a suggestion for an alternative cooler that is easy to fit and quiet. I don't overclock and just use my pc for Photoshop/Painter work.

I am hoping that the x4 modules (a matched set - two sets bought actually in case one was faulty) will work with another cooler.

I just did a Sandy Bridge build using a CoolerMaster Hyper 212 with a Scythe PWM Slipstream (bought separately). Different mobo, but it didn't overhang the closest RAM slot, and even if it had, it would still have cleared an installed stick that didn't have a huge heatsink. Might be worth a look.

Thanks. I'll have a look at that one. There's plenty of clearance around and above the Corsair modules with the Noctua but for some reason there is something about its installation that messes with the memory when the additional modules are installed.

I'd be grateful for a suggestion for an alternative cooler that is easy to fit and quiet.

Well, you didn't say which is your actual enclosure.

David Cole wrote:

Thanks. I'll have a look at that one. There's plenty of clearance around and above the Corsair modules with the Noctua but for some reason there is something about its installation that messes with the memory when the additional modules are installed.

So it shouldn't be the Noctua (nor I can see how it could be, if in case).

Hi, another vote here for Coolermaster Hyper 212, almost as effective as the big boys and a fraction of the price. Today on Scan.co.uk todayonly for £9.59! Normally under £20 and widely available too.If you don't fancy the Cooler Master then investigate any of the 120mm fan tower coolers from Thermalright or Prolimatech. Or ever the 140mm fan towers or even double 140mm fan towers, eg: this one.

I remember reading your thread about the memory / cooler issue and have no good explanation for it at all! Maybe the board is damaged and the greater pressure the Noctua applies to it flexes it enough to break/weaken a connection that is otherwise ok with the Intel heatsink. EDIT: Re-read original thread and see you already had 2 motherboards and 2 sets of RAM! Try another heatsink and hope for the best! Fault in the CPU that manifests ifself under the increased pressure of the C14? Would account for complete no post but no idea why only with 4 DIMMs not 2 DIMMs. Didn't notice if you mentioned if one pair of DIMMs will work in either set of slots? Do 3 DIMMs work?

If in case he has to swap the mobo or the CPU (or the ram), not the heatsink (not to mention ANY high performance cooler applies lot of pressure). But priorly you change anything, he has to perform some serious troubleshooting (another mobo, another CPU, other ram, stress testing). IMO/IME.

Thank you for all your suggestions. I've raised the question in a number of fora because I've already installed a second motherboard and would prefer not to have to take it out and reinstall it unless I have a good idea what's gone wrong. I guess I will just have to take out the motherboard again and try reseating the Noctua. If that doesn't work, I'll try the Coolermaster. It is quiet isn't it?

Your question doesn't sound right to me: it isn't the cooler to be quiet, it's how you manage it (software, BIOS) to make it silent.

However, the CM can be quiet only when noticeably undervolted: check the relevant SPCR test, the stock fan is a little humming and not so performing (but it can be really ok).

Among the less-expensive-than-Noctua ones (according to skinflint), first come to mind the Xigmateks (mainly Aegir, Thor, maybe some Achilles) but more than the CM they deserve a fan swap; then several Scythes (Mugen 2, Yasya, Rasetsu) coolers also works (with better stock fans than CMs and Xigmateks), but they are unusually more expensive in UK than in EU or USA, and eventually some Thermalrights (mainly the HR-02 and Archon, but this latter might not fit inside your Nexus enclosure, check twice).

There isn't such a thing, I'm sorry. IMO your C14 can not be responsible for your memory issues.

With reference to those, please take note that any high performance cooler puts lot of pressure (and this is especially true for the Universal Vault by Thermalright), so if this is that particular Noctua's "fault", you are likely to get it with other high end coolers.

If price is not an issue, about the mounting mechanism you may give a look to the Prolimatech Genesis or even the Armageddon (I prefer them over the SuperMega), maybe with a preference for the former (check the relevant review). I don't recall if they come with fans, but as a bonus it should be the best performer currently available on air.

Thanks. I agree completely. I find it very difficult to believe that the C14 is at fault. I thought too that I installed it carefully. But the fact remains that the x4 modules work with the stock Intel cooler but not with the Noctua. I will probably get a couple of alternative coolers to try while I have board out of the box. I'll look at the big coolers you mention too. Re-installing the board is a PIA and I don't want to have to do it again any time soon if I can avoid it.

Hi, you say you're not over-clocking and if you won't then the CPU isn't that hard to cool quietly.The Hyper 212 heatsink is plenty capable, not so sure about its fan...I really don't understand about your memory issues - think you need to try another heatsink and see how that goes.[If you happen to be near GLOS you welcome come experiment with my hardware]

You do want a heatsink with PWM fan and then connect it to the 4pin CPU fan header on the motherboard and set the fan control in the UEFI (BIOS) to "Silent" mode. The motherboard will then control the fan speedbased on CPU temp and a do reasonable job of it if. If it's anything like the 2600k in P8P67 Pro I'm playing with anyway!

I think the Hyper 212 comes with a PWM fan but may not be very quiet at mimimum speeds. I'm fond of Arctic Cooling's F series fans, come in 80, 92 and 120mm and in 3pin and 4pin PWM, I've been using an F12 PWM as my CPU fan and been happy with it. Yes my PC is very quiet, like Samsung F3 1TB in Scythe Quiet Drive is loudest part quiet, and yes I can hear that late at night here!

If the motherboard isn't dropping the fan speed low enough at idle then I've discovered that the latest version of Speedfan can control the fans on my P8P67 Pro, I'd be shocked if your all-but-identical Deluxe version was different. [You say Photoshop so I'm guessing you using Windows, could send you the Speedfan config files once mine sorted out] Speedfan can drop the speed to any like, including 0 or 1% and increase to a set amount if CPU temp exceds the "desired" temp. Can also set "maximum" temp beyound which all fans go to 100%.

PWM fans vary in how they react to low settings, there are defined classes of them, Google it if want to know exactly.Basically some have minimum speed ~30% and will go no slower no matter what speed is set, I had Zalman 9500AT like this, 1200rpm minimum.Others will keep winding down to (near) stop or have a very low minimum ie 15% = 300rpmThey can also vary in interpretation of 0% some may stop, others will do 100% speed!

Thanks, Seb. I have a Zalman fan controller (MFC1-Combo) that can take on PWM fans as well as ordinary ones so I'll probably try that. If I can't get the x4 modules to work with any of three or four coolers I'll give up.

The heatsinks I am looking at are between 700-1100gm. Does weight matter (on my Asus P8P67 Deluxe board), please?

Usually it doesn't matter: I have a Prolimatech Armageddon with two fans (so something less than 1100 grams) on a mATX ASUS Gene-Z, and I have no issue (please, take note that currently it is horizontally mounted, so there's no actual cantilever effect).

But, broadly speaking, I think that weight might be an issue by itself.

Thanks for replying. So if, as will be the case, the weight is directed downwards, at a right angle to the board rather than down, directly on to it, I should be ok? It will be the heatsink and board mounting screws/system that will bear the weight rather than the cpu socket. Have I got this right? I have a BeQuiet Hard Rock Advanced heatsink/cooler which weighs in at 1100gm that I want to fit - this unit has been the top recommendation from CustomPC magazine for months - I suppose I am hoping that they wouldn't recommend it for the 1155 if it was likely to damage the board and/or cpu.

Thanks for replying. So if, as will be the case, the weight is directed downwards, at a right angle to the board rather than down, directly on to it, I should be ok? It will be the heatsink and board mounting screws/system that will bear the weight rather than the cpu socket. Have I got this right?

What I can say is that anything really heavy will warp the board: I notice this phenomenon in a NSK3480 with a Scythe Kabuto (MSI LGA775), in a Mini P180 with a Scythe Orochi (ASUS AM3), and so on (I am not noticing the same in the Armageddon setup, as it lays horizontally on a CM test bench). But I haven't encountered such an issue like your one due to that warping, up to now.

Thanks very much. I guess the BeQuiet heatsink may not have been a good choice in my situation. I don't overclock and all I want is a setup that is quiet - I have 140 and 120mm quiet fans I can use - it's just the choice of heatsink. Is there a really light heatsink that might do the job, do you know? Thanks.

Hi David, while I agree with quest_for_silence that understanding why the NH-C14 causes your system to fail to recognise 4 DIMMs I accept that as you've already had two motherboards and two sets of RAM it's difficult to know what to do! Maybe the case isn't holding the motherboard suficiently flat...Anyway if you want a small light easy to fit cooler I recommend a Cooler Master Hyper TX3. This is the smaller brother to the Hyper 212. It has 92mm PWM fan and uses push pins to attach to the motherboard. The weight is listed at 470g, not sure if includes the fan. Just for you to make sure this is a viable recomendation I've tested it! Dug out my Hyper TX3 and strapped it to my 2600k that I have in testing. Set the BIOS settings to default so no overclocking or messing with CPU voltage.

That's full load on all 8 threads and temps in the uper 60°Cs with fan at 1050rpm. It's a 92mm fan so that's pretty quiet.I also took minimal trouble over the thermal paste so maybe a couple C there too.

In case the stock fan is too loud I tried a pair of Arctic Cooling F9 PWMs on it:

Pretty much the same temps and the F9s are very quiet at the 600~700rpm speed. As in really very quiet

Thanks so much for doing this, Seb. I'll postpone disembowelling the pc until I have my hands on the Coolermaster you mention. That weight and fixing sounds exactly what I need, and the performance fine for me. I am lining up a row of heatsinks to try because I only want to reinstall the board once! Fingers crossed....Thanks again.

After all that, the 16Gb x4 ram modules were recognised immediately after installing the BeQuiet Dark Rock Advanced cooler (but have the TX3 standing by). The installation of the BeQuiet was pretty awkward but it worked fine. The Noctua C14 was definitely interacting with the motherboard in some bad way and this is what caused the problem with with recognising all the ram modules. Anyway, sorted now - thanks very much for all the patient, useful help here.

Hi David, glad you got it sorted, or working how you want at least!If you're no longer using the NH-C14 and have no other use for it and wanted to sell it I'd be interested in it. If not no worries.Thanks, Seb

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